The Coin and the Quest
In 1921, a young man joined his parents and brothers to board a ship to bring them from Scotland to the United States of America. They planned to spend a while before moving on to Australia, where they hoped for a new life easier than they had endured during and after World War I.
They loved America, and decided to stay. The oldest son became an American citizen in 1928. With little money but great motivation, he started working. He worked very hard the rest of his life.
Having married a wonderful woman, they later had a happy family of four children. The oldest son joined his father at a very young age working in the family store after school. One day, between customers, the father handed the son a 1921 silver dollar, and told him the story of coming to America. It wasn’t perfect, and hard work was required, he said, but he saw it as the greatest country in the world.
With limited formal education, but a love of reading and learning, the parents provided a model for the possibilities of self-improvement, and especially for writing.
The parents’ goal was that the children be educated and pursue responsible, happy and successful lives. That goal was realized, as the children all earned advanced degrees and pursued successful careers with happy family lives.
The energy, the goal, and the pattern of responsibility that the parents set remained true throughout their lives.
The quest continues, in this case through the son who is the author of this web site. Now there’s even another generation.
Quests take many forms, but this one is very special.
